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Chapter 4 - Conscience

from Part II - The Self

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 December 2022

Timothy L. Brownlee
Affiliation:
Xavier University, Ohio
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Summary

This chapter presents the resolution to Hegel’s account of the problem of recognition by considering the “moral” self, that of “conscience” (Gewissen). It begins by showing that “morality” is the stance that adequately countenances the self-productive character of self-conscious beings, so that the self is understood to be constituted through activity. Only conscience, however, acknowledges the social character of this constitution of the self, the fact that, to count as a self, I must realize my moral knowledge both through my actions, and through participation in moral discourse along with others. For Hegel, successful recognition as a moral self requires the development of particular social practices, confession and forgiveness, through which we can respond to moral disagreement, and I demonstrate that recognizing one another as conscientious requires a continuing dependence on practices like these.

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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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  • Conscience
  • Timothy L. Brownlee, Xavier University, Ohio
  • Book: Recognition and the Self in Hegel's <I>Phenomenology of Spirit</I>
  • Online publication: 01 December 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009099141.006
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  • Conscience
  • Timothy L. Brownlee, Xavier University, Ohio
  • Book: Recognition and the Self in Hegel's <I>Phenomenology of Spirit</I>
  • Online publication: 01 December 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009099141.006
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Conscience
  • Timothy L. Brownlee, Xavier University, Ohio
  • Book: Recognition and the Self in Hegel's <I>Phenomenology of Spirit</I>
  • Online publication: 01 December 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009099141.006
Available formats
×